Expected increased runoff from near-record snowpack is triggering warnings about rising river levels.
Reminder: The Flood Information page has links to flood-related information, including river levels, snowpack data and forecasts. . . .
Warm weather could cause area rivers to reach flood stage this week, due in part to a deep mountain snowpack. The National Weather Service in Missoula issued a hydrologic outlook on May 12 for much of western Montana in advance of the rising temperatures.
According to NWS-Missoula meteorologist Trent Smith, the snowpack in the Flathead Basin is 148 percent of normal for this time of year and if it melts rapidly that could cause problems for communities downstream. The snowpack is even larger in other areas.
“There is still plenty of moisture in the mountains and so those small rivers and streams will be running high this week,” Smith said.